Puzzle game



Nov. 28, 1961 w. J. MOSS 3,0

PUZZLE GAME Filed Nov. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

William J M2615 ll TTORNE Y5 United States Patent C) 3,010,723 PUZZLE GAME William J. Moss, 20 Welland Ave., Waterbury 8, Conn. Filed Nov. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 853,858 Claims. (Cl. 273-157) The object of the invention is to provide a novel game employing two or more similar jigsaw puzzles, the pieces of which are scrambled, and the parts are then selected and assembled by one or more players.

Another object is to provide a novel game employing two or more similar jigsaw puzzles in which each puzzle has one or more pieces which are nearly identical with pieces in the other puzzles, but which differ slightly therefrom.

A still further object is to provide a novel gameemploying two or more similar jigsaw puzzles in which different code means are added to the reverse side to identify the parts of each puzzle. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear in the following specification, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and/or the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are top plan views showing two portions of a puzzle set;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating in solid lines the configuration of individual pieces of the puzzle portion shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating in phantom lines the configuration of individual pieces of the puzzle portion shown in FIG. 2, the pictorial matter being omitted for the purposes of clarity;

FIGS. 4 through 7 are plan views of the reverse sides of the four portions of a puzzle set embodying the principles of the present invention; and, p

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary bottomplan view illustrating one corner of the puzzle portion of FIG. 5, an individual piece from the puzzle portion of FIG. 7 having been misplaced therein.

The game comprises two or more, preferably four, jigsaw puzzles. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown two similar, though not identical, jigsaw puzzles 10 and 12, respectively. These puzzles illustrate a rural scene showing a home on the right, a church steeple in the center, and another building to the left of the church, a roadway in the foreground, and hills and trees. It is intended that these views be similar as to detail and color, but that they be distinguished in some minor manner, which in the present case is accomplished by the addition of a bush in the foreground of FIG. 2, which does not appear in FIG. 1. Similar minor differences appear in the other puzzles of the set. It is to be understood that this is only exemplary, as it is exident that such differences can be shown in other ways such as the illustration of the same elements somewhat differently arranged in the several puzzles, or they may be sequence pictures, showing the same general scene in each, but with certain characters acting out some little drama; or, the several puzzles might depict totally unrelated subjects which appear to be somewhat similarly colored.

The puzzles may be severed by vertical and horizontal cutting lines 18 to form a number of separable pieces. It is preferred that these severing lines form interlocking means between the adjoining pieces, as is well known in the art. In the example illustrated, the severing is performed by six spaced horizontal cuts and by an equal number of spaced vertical cuts, forming a total of 49 separable pieces. In FIG. 1, these pieces are consecutively numbered for purposes of identification from 10-1 to 10-49, and similarly in FIG. 2, they are designated as 12-1 to 12-49. The severing lines 18 are so arranged that all pieces in one puzzle are different in shape from corresponding pieces in another puzzle. However, there will be formed, on each of the puzzles constituting a game, one or more pieces on each puzzle that are nearly identical with pieces on the other puzzles. By nearly identical, is meant that the pieces are identically colored and very nearly identical in shape, so that there is just sufficient dissimilarity among the shapes of these pieces that one cannot possibly fit in a space where another belongs. For purpose of description, these nearly identical pieces will hereinafter be referred to as pseudo-identical pieces to indicate that while they are not, in all respects identical, they are much more than merely similar and they cannot be distinguished by casual visual inspection. It is intended 'to designthe puzzles so that a number of pseudo-identical pieces will be found in different areas of different puzzles, or in the same areas of the different puzzles. For example, one of such pseudo-identical pieces might depict the stem of a small plant, and some of its foliage, not too sharply designated on a neutral background. In one example, such a pseudo-identical piece may be located in the border near one corner of the puzzle, while, in a second puzzle, a similar piece might be located in a difierent corner. Although a picture on a pseudo-identical piece in one puzzle may represent a vertical stem bearing foliage, in another puzzle such piece may represent a horizontal twig bearing foliage. Also, for example, a gray rock may appear in a given area of one puzzle, while corresponding areas of other puzzles depict only green grass. The pseudo-identical piece which depicts this gray rock in the one puzzle may turn out to be nearly identical in color and outline to two or three other pieces bearing portions of gray clouds on the other puzzles.

Many additions and omissions might be obtained in a perfectly natural manner. A scene as observed in one puzzle might be observed from a slightly different viewpoint in another puzzle. Such a shifting of viewpoint might well expose to view objects which had heretofore been concealed while, at the same time, concealing other objects which were previously exposed. In sequence pictures, normal movement of the sun would naturally alter lights and shadows as well as colors. Such phenomena can be exploited when designing the puzzles. Examples of such pseudo-identical pieces are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 designated 10-2 and 12-2, 10-11 and 12-11 and 10-37 and 12-37. The latter pair of pseudoidentical pieces are shown superimposed in FIG. 3, Wherein these pieces and the adjoining pieces appear drawn to a larger scale. In FIG. 3, the outline of the piece 10-37 is represented by the solid lines 18, while the outline of the piece 12-37 is represented by the broken line 18 It will be noted that while the forms of these pseudoidentical pieces are nearly identical, there are suflicient differences to assure that one will not fit in place of the other on their respective puzzles. It will be observed that each individual piece 10-37 and 12-37 is defined by a periphery composed of a number of sections or segments 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, and 76, and that the ends of these sections or segments are connected. An inspection reveals that while corresponding segments or sections are so similar as to present, from a casual glance, identical contours, they difier slightly as to length, curvature, and other aspects, which differences become more readily apparent from the enlarged scale of FIG. 3 and from the superimposition of one over the other. It is evident, therefore, that they cannot be substituted for each other in their respective puzzles. These pseudo identical pieces need not follow the typical pattern disclosed in FIG. 3,

but can have any desired contour, including straight edges.

As indicated above, these pseudo-identical pieces can be l te at en er th n co spondin places. the respective puzzles, and they may also assume different angular positions. For instance, the upper side of the center piece in FIG. 3, having a single knob 42, 44, 46, could appear in one puzzle at the bottom or on the right or on the left, while retaining the pseudo-identical pattern. 7 V

In order to assure that each part is properly placed in its corresponding puzzle, the backs of each of the puzzles are marked by distinguishing code means. In FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, representing the backs of four similar puzzles forming a part of the same game, the code means are representedby differently formed vertical and horizontal lines. These lines are so arranged that adjoining lines extend at an angle to each other, and the and positio i g of the lines are so selected that each individnal piece is crossed by a. vertical and a horizontal line. In FIG. 4, single light horizontal lines 22 and heavy vertical lines 24 are employed. In FIG. 5, double horizontal lines 26 and double vertical lines 2 8 are shown, the paired lines whichrnake up each iihe 26 and 28 being closely adjacent. In FIG. 4, the horizontal 311 are represented by double lines, onerof which is heavier than the other, while the vertical lines comprise double lines 32 and triple lines 34, which alternate with each other. In FIG. 7, double horizontal and double vertical lines and 38 are shown, the vertical lines being made up; of pains which are more widely spaced than the horizontal lines. From the foregoing, itis obvious that, byreversing any puzzle, it can easily be determined whether the proper pieces have been selected and whether. they are in their proper positions. FIG. 8 gives, by way of example, the appearance in the upper right hand corner of a puzzle 12, as shown in FIGS, in which an improperly positiQi d Piece 16 14 has been placed. It will noted, in FIG. 8, that the double line 38 is not alignedwith the double 'line 28, nor is the double line. 56 of the pseudo: identical piece 1614 aligned with the horizontal 26,

In a. prefe r emb d men our of u h mila p le mar b sed. des g a d a 10, 12, 14 nd 16 in FIGS- 4 to 7 In pl ying, he pie f al f the. puzzles are th ro y imb d or mixed an posi ioned face. p in c e r f the Playin area. I one p rson wi .eis to play solitaire, he may proceed to assemble, any on s l t d puzz e or m as e r d- Wh n wo. hree. or f r p ons p ay, ch h sel ct the p r ul r pic.- mf h t h n n o c nstruct. To simpli y su h playing, it is proposed that a corresponding corner of each p zzl e n mb r r have me oth r identi y ng ch racteristic, which can be used to start that particular puzzle. As example,'the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 could be added to the piece in the lower lent-hand corner, indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 With such a beginning, each player proceeds in turn to select the pieces from the common jumbled heap, penalties being levied in the case of mistaken selections. The winner is that person who first completes his selected puzzle. It is preferred,

in order to make the game more interesting, to scramble all of the puzzles and to mix them, even though the number Qf players is fewer than the number of puzzles. However, to makethe game simpler, the number of puzzles in the jumbled pile could be the same as the number of players.

While what heretofore has been described is the preferred embodiment of invention, it is readily apparcut that alterationsa d modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention, and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game adapted to played by one or more persons comprising: a plurality of jigsaw puzzles, each composed of a plurality of; pieces, all pieces in one puzzle being different in shape from corresponding pieces in another puzzle, said puzzles having pseudo-identical, but not identical, representation thereon, each puzzle including at least one piece that is pseudo-identical with a corresponding piece in each other puzzle, said corresponding pseudo-identical pieces being defined by perimeters composed of corresponding segmental portions, at least one of said segmental portions of one perimeter differing to a slight degree the corresponding segmentai portions in the pe me r of: its cor e p P 2. A game according to claim 1, including difierent distinguishing code means on the back of each puzzle, said code means appeaging on the back of each piece in each of said puzzles being in the form of a.pattern of lines to indicate whether or not each piece is correctly positioned in the proper puzzle.

3.. A game according to claim 1, including different distinguishing code means on the back of each puzzle, said code means appearing on the back of each piece in each of said puzzles and consisting of a plurality of substantially horizontal and substantially vertical disposed lines, the lines of each puzzle being distinguishable from lines of any other puzzle, and with adjacent substantially horizontal, and substantially vertical lines being nonparallel.

4. A game according to claim 1, in which each pseudoidentical piece fits in a corresponding position in the espective puzzles.

5. A game according to claim 1, in which each pseudoidentical piece fits in a dilferent position in the respective puzzles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,037,966 Dailey Arpr.'2l, 1936 2,353,037 Irwin July 4, 1944 2,825,568 Birsh Mar. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 447,l52 Great Britain May 13, 1936 553,798 Great Britain June 7, 1943 

